RSW's Diary Comments

From a collection of old photographs in
RSW's personal items this picture of the Charlmont
Bridge, before it was destroyed by the 1938 hurricane,
closely resembles the perspective of the artwork.

"Painted about 1939. The covered bridge at Charlemont, Mass. Painted in the Buckland studio from older 25 x 30 made several years previously and the 25 x 30 destroyed. Also made a chalk drawing of the same subject which is owned by Rev. and Mrs. Matthews of Pelham Manor, N. Y."

Photograph to the right:

On digitalizing all of RSW's pictures that he kept with his personal items. We came across a number of photos that closely resemble paintings of a similar subject. It has raised questions as to if Woodward used photographs as a tool in creating some paintings. For this particular painting he claims to have made it from an earlier painting which was then destroyed. While probably true, we wonder if the earlier painting was when he photographed his vantage point.

A photo of the old covered bridge before
the hurricane and flood took it down in 1938.

According to the diary comments made by RSW and first hand account of MLP, Woodward painted the Charlemont Bridge sometime in the mid-1930's but was not satisfied with it. It sat with his paintings to be destroyed for years. After the hurricaine of 1938 that washed out the bridge RSW pulled out the original painting of the bridge and made a new oil and chalk and destroyed the original.

See also: Through Summer Hills, Down Through Summer Hills, The Long Bridge and the Chalk Through Summer Hills now hangs at Memorlal Hall Museum in Deerfield, MA.

Read the Scrapbook story regarding the piece Through Summer Hills.